Letter-canceling machine.



L. BLESSING, M. L. ATEN n G. H. POIRIER.

LETTER GANGELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rILED 11m17.190s.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

2 SBBBTS-SHEBT 1`.

IN VENTURS Laux.: BLEssINa.

WITNESSES:

Msnmz'r L ATEN.

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I. BLIIss'ING, M. L. AIIIN I G. H. POIRIER.

LETTER GANCELING MACHINE.

APPLIGAIION FILED un. 27. 190e.

Patented NOV. 30, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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MERRJTT L A TEN.

NTED STATES PATENT OFFCE.-

LOUIS BLESSING, MERRITT L. ATEN, AND GEORGE H. POIRIER, OF JACKSON,MICHIGAN SAID .ATEN ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT T0 JULIAN J.BENNETT, OF

JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

LETTER-GANCELING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Louis BLnssiNc, Mnnnirr L. ATEN, and Gnonen H.Poininia, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Jackson,in the county of J ackson and State of Michigan, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Letter-Canceling Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to letter canceling machines and more especiallyto certain features thereof whereby rapidity and positiveness of actionare obtained together with simplicity of construction.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly brokenaway, of a inachine embodying features of the invention. Fig. Q. is aplan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section on line mofFig. 1. Fig. 4L is a view of the receiving end of the machine. Figs. 5and 6 are views in detail, partly in section, of a cut-0H plate anddisk. Fig. is an enlarged view in detail of a printing roll. Fig. 8 is aview in detail of the printing roll. Fig. 9 is a view in detail of aletter chute. Fig. 10 shows details of the cut-off plate.

Referring to the drawings, a horizontal table 1 of suitable design has asemi-circular drum 2 suitably secured thereon with a rotating disk 3forming the front face thereof, carried by a horizontal shaft Ajournaled in bearings on the table. rlhe disk passes through a slot inthe table top 8 arranged to substantiallv seal the drum so that a fan orexhaust blower 5 beneath the table whose intake pipe (3 opens throughthe table into the drum may maintain a partial vacuum therein.

Removable dating plates 7 are detachably inserted in the face of thedisk at regular intervals, preferably being secured by spring plungers 8or like means with the printing face projected slightly from the disk. Aset of perforations 9 are formed in the disk around each plate and areso disposed in reference to an angle bracket 10 or the like secured onthe table whose upright part 11 corresponds to the inner face of thedisk against which it bears, that they are opened Specicaton of LettersPatent.

Application filed March 27, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

Serial No. 486,098.

Ysimultaneously as they pass upward by this cut-off plate 10 each timethey revolve above the bed of the table.

An ink roll 12 is journaled in an upright position under the table inthe path of revolution of the printing plates 7 so that they are inkedevery time they pass it. A presser roll 18 is ournaled in an uprightspindle 14: whose lower end is pivotally connected to the table the rollbeing placed normally against the disk 3 by a suitably disposed spring15. A lifting plate 16 is supported close against the face of the disk 3just above the path of revolution of the printing plates 8 and thepresser roll 13 on a spring arm 17 secured at its lower end to the tabletop. This plate is in the path of revolution of the outer perforations 9in the disk and when the latter are not covered the suction of airthrough them draws the plate against the disk which carries it towardthe spindle lei- A wedge 18 on this plate underruiis the spindle duringthis forward movement and momentarily raises the roll 13 sothat theprinting plates 7 pass under it without soiling it. A roll 19 in thestripper plate encounters an idler 2O in the disk as the limit of itsforward movement is reached thereby raising the lift plate 16 which isthen snapped back by its arm 17 to normal position. A letter chute 21whose discharge end is toward the disk in the path of revolution of theprinting plates has a slide block 22 which presses a stack of lettersplaced on edge in the chute facing the disk toward the latter throughthe medium of a series of weight blocks 23 carried by a suitable cord orchain 211 over a pulley 25, the weights gradually piling up as the stacklessens and less weight is required to overcome the consequentlydecreasing friction. A belt 2G is driven transversely across the bottomof the chute next the disk toward a plate 27 which constitutes the backof the chute so as to crowd the letters against the latter. r1`his beltis preferably operated by a friction wheel 28 held against the peripheryof the disk 3 by a suitable counterpoise 29. Annular grooves SO in theface of the disk are engaged by the upper ends of stripper fingers 31which lift off letters from the disk and deposit them in a suitablereceptacle 32 formed by a drop in the table top. Stops 39 or studs areplaced on the disk in proper relation to each set of apertures so thatif a letter' on the disk over the perforations slips, its edge comesagainst the stops which arrest further movement. Obviously the disk andexhaust fan may be driven by any suitable means, the arrangement of thepulleys 33, 34C, belt 35 and shaft 3G illustrating one method of doing`this.

In operation a stack of letters is placed in the chute with the slideblock pressing against them and carrying them toward the disk; as thelatter passes them, the suction of the apertures around each printingblock draws a letter' against the disk and carries it under the presserroll so that the printing block, already inked by passing the inkingroll, stamps or marks the letters desired, the latter being removed fromthe disk by the stripping fingers and stacked in the receiving box. Ifthe machine is running without letters in the chute, the lifter plate isdrawn with the disk and under-runs the presser roll each time aprint-ing block moves past it so that the roll is not inked thereby andconsequently the letters are not soiled.

The main feature of the machine is the simplicity and accuracy withwhich it does its work, there being no reciprocating parts and but verylittle mechanism to keep in running order. Another feature is the factthat the capacity of the machine is almost unlimited as the disk may beof any size necessary, the number of printing blocks being increased ordecreased as desired. The latter are likewise readily detached so thatthey may -be changed each hour to give the proper mailing record.

Gbviously, changes in the details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and we do not care to limitourselves to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

'Vhat we claim as our invention is l. A letter' canceling machinecomprising a rotatable member provided with stamping plates, pneumaticmeans for holding letters against the plates, a presser roll normallycontacting with the member adapted to force letters against the plates,and pneumatically operated means for lifting the pressure roll away fromthe plates. when the latter are uncovered.

2. A letter canceling machine comprising a rotatable disk, stampingplates thereon, means for advancing a stack of letters towar l the disk,pneumatic means for drawing a letter from the stack and holding itagainst a stamping plate, a presser roll normally contacting with theface of the disk adapted to force letters against the plates, andpneumatically operated means adapted to automatically lift the pressureroll out of the path of an uncovered plate.

3. A letter canceling machine comprising a drum, a rotatable diskforming one head thereof, stamping plates in the outer face of the disksurrounded by apertures through the disk, a carrier adapted to advance astack of letters toward the face of the disk in substantially parallelrelation thereto, a presser roll in yielding contact with the disk andplates, and means for exhausting air from the drum.

4. A letter canceling machine comprising a drum, a rotatable diskforming one head thereof, stamping plates in the outer face of the disksurrounded by apertures through the disk, a carrier adapted to advance astack of letters toward the face of the disk in substantially parallelrelation thereto, means for uncovering the apertures around each blocksin/iultaneously as said block is in register with the delivery end ofthe carrier, a presser roll in yielding Contact with the disk andplates, and means for exhausting air from the drum.

5. A letter canceling machine comprising a drum, a rotatable diskforming .one head thereof, stamping plates in the outer face of the disksurrounded by apertures through the disk, a carrier adapted to advance astack of letters tmvard the face of the disk in substantially parallelrelation thereto, a presser roll in yielding Ycontact with the disk andplates, a lifter plate vibratably supported adjacent the presser roll inclose proximity to the disk and adapted to underrun and lift the rollwhen drawn against the disk by inflow of air through the apertures, andmeans for exhausting air from the drum.

et letter' canceling machine comprising a drinn, a rotatable diskforming one head thereof, stamping plates in the outer face of the disksurrounded by apertures through the disk, a carrier adapted -to advancea stack of letters toward the face `of the disk in substantiallyparallel relation thereto, means for uncovering the apertures aroundeach plate simultaneously as vsaid plate is in register with thedelivery end of the carrier, a presser roll in yielding contact with thedisk and plates, a lifter plate rotatably supported adjacent the presserroll in close proximity to the disk and adapted to underrun and lift theroll when drawn against the disk by inflow of air through the apertures,an d means for exhausting air from the drum.

7. A letter canceling machine comprising a drum, a rotatable diskforming one head thereof, stamping plates in the outer face of the disksurrounded by apertures through the disk, a. letter chute transverse tothe disk whose delivery mouth is swept by the plates, slide platetherein, a weight for moving the block toward the delivery mouth, meansfor uncovering the apertures around each plate simultaneously as saidplate is in register with the delivery end of the chute, a Apresser rollin yielding contact with the disk and is proximate the disk, stampingblocks deplates, and means for exhausting air from the drum.

S. A letter canceling machine comprising a drum, a rotatable diskforming one head thereof, stamping plates in the outer face of the disksurrounded by apertures through the disk, a letter chtite transverse tothe disk whose delivery mouth is swept by the plates, a slide platetherein, a series of weights suspended at regular intervals on a cordleading from the block over a pulley near the chute mouth, means forarresting the descending weights one by one, means for uncovering theapertures around each plate simultaneously as said block is in registerwith the delivery end of the carrier, a presser roll in yielding contactwith the disk and plates, and means for exhausting air from the drum.

9. A letter canceling machine comprising a table, a hollow chamberthereon, a rotatable disk forming one end of the chamber, a deliverychute on the table whose discharge end is proximate the disk, stampingblocks in the disk passing the chute mouth, surrounded by aperturesthrough the disk, means for forcing a stack of letters in the chutetoward the disk in parallel relation thereto, a cut-oill plate adaptedto uncover the apertures around each plate simultaneously as the plateregisters .with the chute mouth, an inking roll swept by the plates, apressure roll yieldingly contacting with the disks and plates, means forraising the pressure roll out of contact with an uncovered plate, and anexhaust blower connected to the chamber.

10. letter canceling machine comprising a table, a vacuum drum thereon,a disk rotating in a plane transverse to the table top and forming onehead of the drum, an exhaust fan for the drum, adelivery chute on thetable transverse to the disk whose mouth is proximate the disk, stampingblocks detachably secured in the outer face of the disk, passing thechute mouth, and surrounded by apertures, a cutoff plate on the tableadapted to uncover the apertures around cach block simultaneously as theblock is in register with the chute mouth, a block movablelongitudinally in the chute, a flexible cord connected to the blockleading over a pulley near the chute mouth, a series of weights attachedto the cord in spaced relation, and a belt traversing the chute bottomnear its mouth adapted to crowd the chute contents toward the inner wallthereof.

11. A letter canceling machine comprising a table, a vacuum drumthereon, a disk rotating in a plane transverse to the table top andforming one head of the drum, an eX- haust fan for the drum, a deliverychute on the table transverse to the disk whose mouth tachably securedin the outer face of the disk passing the chute mouth, and surrounded byapertures, a cut-olf plate on the table adapted to uncover the aperturesaround each block simultaneously as the block is in register with thechute mouth, a block movable longitudinally in the chute, a flexiblecord connected to the block leading over a pulley near the chute mouth,a series of weights attached to the cord in spaced rela tion, and a belttraversing the chute bottom near its mouth adapted to crowd the chutecontents toward the inner wall thereof, an inking roll contactingperiodically with the stamping blocks, and a presser roll adapted topositively press a letter adhering to a stamp block against the latter.

12. A letter canceling machine comprising a rotatable disk, a letterchute adapted to deliver letters flat against the disk, stamping blocksin the disk, pneumatic means for drawing a letter from the chute againsta passing block, an inking roll contacting with each block before itreaches the chute, a presser roll yieldingly contacting with the diskadapted to press a letter adhering to a block positively against it, alifting plate parallel to the disk ahead of the presser roll and adaptedto be drawn into contact with the disk by the pneumatic letter liftingmeans when an uncovered block is passing the plate, means on the plateunderrunning and raising the presser roll when the plate is movedforward by the disk, and a yielding support for the plate adapted topermit the latter to momentarily advance with the disk by the presserroll when adhering to the disk and to return the plate thereafter toinitial position.

13. A let-ter canceling machine comprising a drum, a rotatable diskforming one head thereof, stamping plates in the outer face of the disksurrounded by apertures through the disk, a carrier adapted to advance astack of letters toward the face of the disk in substantially parallelrelation thereto, a presser roll in yielding contact with the disk andplates, a lifter plate vibratably supported adjacent the presser roll inclose proximity to the disk and adapted. to underrun and lift the rollwhen drawn againstthe disk by inflow of air through the apertures, stopson the disk adjacent the stamping plates for holding letters inregister, and means for exhausting air from the drum.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

LOlS BLESSING. MERRTT L. ATEN. GEORGE H. POIRIER. Witnesses:

FRANK H. Nnwiirnri, RALPH B. STANLEY.

